Improvement in railroad-switches



W. A. WEANT..- 'RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Patented man. 4,1876.

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NFETERS, PHOTO-LITHUGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENTGFI-'Ion` WILLIAM A. WEANT, oF sALIsBURY, NoRTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAlLRAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,892, dated January4, 187 6 application liled September 29, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM- A. WEANT,

v of Salisbury, in the county of Rowan and State of North Carolina, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches, ofwhich the following is a 'lhe object of this invention is to provide asimple and effective means by which the engineer, brakeman, or otheremploy upon a tra-in of cars can shift the movable switch-rails Aconnected with mechanism for shifting the switch-rails. In the drawings,Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improvement in railroad-switches;Fig.2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a transverse section on theline w a', and Fig. 4 a transverse section on the line y y, of Figs. 1and 2. The letter A represents the main rails of the track, and B theside or turn-out rails, and C the switch-rails, which are locatedbetween the main rails in the ordinary manner.- At each end of themovable 4switch-section, on opposite sides of the track,'are located themovable plates D D', which are pivoted at one end between the shortrails E E,`secured to the sleepers or road-bed, and at the othercounected to the levers by which the switch-rails are shifted.4 Four. ofthese levers are employed, and are indicated by the letters G H I K, thelevers G and H being mounted upon or formed on the ends of the separaterockshafts g h, while the levers I and K are mounted on a commonrock-shaft, lo, pivoted to the road-bed or sleepers. The levers G and Iare connected together by means of a link, L, and the lever H to a leveror arm, M, secured to the rock-shaft k, in such manner that when theplates on one side of the track are depressed the switch-rails will bethrown in connection with the main rails, and the opposite plates willbe elevated, and when the last-mentioned plates are depressed theswitch-rails will be thrown in connection with the side rails, and theopposite plates elevated. rlhe arm or lever M is secured to one rail ofthe movable switch-section, and the switch-rod, by which the rails areshifted by hand, is also attached to said lever. The letter N representsan automatic locking attachment, secured to one end of the movableswitch-section, consisting of two hooked levers, n n, pivoted togetherat their ends, and attached tothe wrist-pin of the cranks K by links rr, so as to be raised in advance of the shifting of the switch-rails,and adapted to catch over or engage upon the studs or projections O,secured to the sleeper upon which the ends of the switch-rails rest. Theletter It represents an engine or car of ordinary construction, providedwith two wheels or frictionrollers, SL S2, mounted upon a movable shaft,S, which is capable of being shifted laterally in such manner that theWheels may be brought over either of the plates D, as may be desired.The ,said movable shaft may be located at the front or rear of the caror locomotive, or in any other desired position, and may be operated bymeans 'of a lever, T, or in any other convenient manner. The movableplate D', which adjoins that portion of the main track A opposite themovable end of the switch-section of rails, sets closely against themain rail, in such manner as to fall under the tread of the wheels ofthetrain entitled to the main track, so as to shift the switch-rails toproper position automatically, if they should accidentally be left inthe wrong position. Instead of sitting closely to the main rail,however, the said plate may be set to one side in the same manner as theother plates, so that the whole may be shifted from trains approachingin either direction by the engineer or other employ.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description. The switch-rails being in connection with themain rails, as indicated in Fig. l, will leave the plates D D elevated,ready for the action of the wheel S2, which is under control of theengineer or other appointed person upon the train entitled to the sidetrack. Upon seeing that theswitch-rails are not in proper position hecan readily shift them. As the plates on one side are' depressed thoseon the opposite side are elevated, so as to be in position to be actedon when it is desired to shift the` rails again.

Ha ving thus described my invention, Whar I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is i g ln combination with the movable switchraiisand mechanism for operating the same, the locking device consisting oftwo hooks pivoted together at their ends, and attached to the Wrist-pinof the crank K on the rockshaft K by the links a i', so as to be liftedin advance of the shifting of the rails, said hooks being adapted tocatch over suitable lugs on the sleeper of the track and secure theswitchv rails against accidental shifting, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

W. A.' WEANT.

Witnesses:

Jos. L. GooMBs, A. H. NoRnIs.

